User Name
Password

Register Members List Calendar Search FAQ Posting Guidelines
Car Talk
Page 8 of 68 First Previous 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10 11 12  Next Last Thread Tools
Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-14, 00:27

Quote:
Originally Posted by joveblue View Post
Once we have enough solar (wind, hydro, geothermal, etc.) power to power our homes and industry with surplus, then we can actually start to call electric cars green. That's a little way off though. In the meantime, there's really no such thing as a green car, electric cars included. Public transport is still, and will remain for quite some time, a greener option (it's also safer and contributes much less to traffic problems!).
Electric cars will never be green until the batteries are cleaned up as well

Hydrogen FTW. Then we can keep the ICE and we can still go vroom vroom( one thing I will miss when cars hopefully go to hydrogen fuel cells). I love the engine note the HF 3.6 DOHC V6 makes above 4000 RPM.

giggity
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2010-01-14, 00:42

Quote:
Originally Posted by joveblue View Post
Public transport is still, and will remain for quite some time, a greener option (it's also safer and contributes much less to traffic problems!).
Oh totally. I don't own a car, at present, and I'm not planning on buying one until I can get one that I like. I happily take public transportation in the meantime. In fact, living in Vegas actually made me sort of hate driving, as sad as that is. But I do miss speeding off into the midnight Midwest countryside, or down curvy mountain roads here in Oregon.

It's all about balance, and balancing responsible living with people's comfort levels. Obviously staying at home all the time is the most eco-friendly thing to do, but nobody's going to want to do that. I'm cool with public transportation -- I actually find it kind of a relief sometimes -- but it's not for everybody. Even high speed rail wouldn't be for everybody. Here in America we've always been all about the automobile, and even though I think a lot of people buy irresponsible SUVs we can't really say that people are wrong to buy what they want. The smart thing to do is to take a holistic approach, and work toward reducing our energy use on all fronts. Electric cars aren't a magic bullet, since the electricity they use might not be clean, but at least they keep us from guaranteeing that we will pollute with ICEs.

Some people are always going to want to drive themselves around, especially in America (where our public transportation systems are less developed - the system in my city doesn't even operate on weekends, for example). So rather than trying to get people to stop wanting cars it would be easier, I think, to work "with the grain" of the market, and just try to get people into greener cars.

Parallel hybrids aren't what I'm talking about -- at least, they shouldn't be our only approach. ER-EVs, "pure" BEVs, clean diesels...all good approaches, too. (And in-wheel motors would be more efficient! Just sayin'.) But, in general, I think we just need to move toward lighter, smaller vehicles. In Texas, You Drive A Truck. It doesn't matter if you're just going to grab a Crunchwrap Supreme at the nearest Taco Bell, you're not really a Texan if you don't drive a truck to get there. And trucks these days are huge. We don't have car-based trucks, like Australia does. In fact, we don't even really have midsize body-on-frame trucks any more. It's all full-size, F-150s and above.

Also, we should look into technologies like start/stop systems that could be -- realistically -- put into every car. Not every car could be made a hybrid, or should be -- I think I've made it known that I'm not a fan of the parallel hybrid scheme -- but every car could have a start/stop system. It doesn't cost much money.

I don't know where I'm going with this. Have I hit high-speed rail? In-wheel motors? Parallel vs. series hybrids? OK, good. It's a Roboman post, then.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
  quote
BuonRotto
Not sayin', just sayin'
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
Send a message via AIM to BuonRotto Send a message via Yahoo to BuonRotto  
2010-01-14, 11:20

Quote:
Originally Posted by Quagmire View Post
Hydrogen FTW.
This ignores the fact that hydrogen fuel is currently manufactured from fossil fuels, mainly natural gas. So it's a zero sum game with hydrogen (just like bio-fuels using food supply products) until there's a better/more efficient process to extract hydrogen from other sources.
  quote
Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-14, 11:23

Quote:
Originally Posted by BuonRotto View Post
This ignores the fact that hydrogen fuel is currently manufactured from fossil fuels, mainly natural gas. So it's a zero sum game with hydrogen (just like bio-fuels using food supply products) until there's a better/more efficient process to extract hydrogen from other sources.
I know, but almost everything needs fossil fuels today still. Charging the battery needs fossil fuels( or some other kind of harmful power source aka nuclear) the manufacturing and disposing of the battery is not green either. IMHO, hydrogen is the better fuel source of the future.

giggity
  quote
BuonRotto
Not sayin', just sayin'
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
Send a message via AIM to BuonRotto Send a message via Yahoo to BuonRotto  
2010-01-14, 11:32

I'm not disagreeing with the principal of hydrogen as fuel. It's true of course that all of our alternatives still depend on fossil fuels to a large extent -- power plants on the grid for electricity, natural gas for hydrogen, and consumable plants for bio-fuel.

I think it's a race to see which one of those sources can first adapt to something less resource intensive and perishable. Hydrogen needs better efficient methods of extracting it from non-fossil fuel sources. Power plants need to turn to wind, solar or other means of generating power. Bio-fuels have to use the collagen parts of the plants that are not normally consumable or part of the food supply.

Actually, it's not just who gets the technology there first, but who gets the infrastructure in place first too.
  quote
billybobsky
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Inner Swabia. If you have to ask twice, don't.
 
2010-01-14, 11:33

Hydrogen isn't a fuel source. It is a storage medium, and there is no good way to produce it without a significant loss in energy.

The touted hydrogen economy is not going to happen.
  quote
Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-14, 20:24

Need $116K stat! Please donate. Thank you.

http://jalopnik.com/5448530/gm-looks...r-corvette-zr1

Please GM do this. This would be awesome.

giggity
  quote
Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-25, 12:41

Maybe you won't see an A3 at all because it would be too costly compared to a new Jetta, which is something of an A3.5, by the looks of it:

http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publi...cle_2694.shtml

Or, maybe you do see one because it amounts essentially to a Jetta rebadge...

Nicely resolved sedan profile, combination of A4 and BMW 3series lines. Good enough corporate front end, pretty safe, nice interior, dash need s little extra work. Sport buck GT rear seat centre console combination looks nice, but is impractical for this car: it's better to have more leg room.

If they build it, it will sell. More interested in a wagon myself.

.........................................
  quote
addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2010-01-25, 13:22

If that's the next Jetta it's certainly an improvement over the current model and will certainly sell better, if priced appropriately, but it kind of looks like a lot of other cars out there. Hopefully we see a decent base motor instead of the 2.5 five cylinder.
  quote
Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-25, 13:29

They're talking about TFSI, TDI and Hybrid versions... for some reason VW likes to give North America the base 2.5, blech. I would only consider one of their cars with a TDI or much better gas/hybrid engine.

.........................................
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2010-01-25, 13:43

I've said it before: VW should make the next New Beetle (and the next Microbus!) a dedicated hybrid. The brand is just perfect for it, with the whole hippie karma thing. Throw in an all-electric Up as a smaller option with the same flower-power styling an you have the engine (er, motor?) for VW's US resurgence.

It's kind of like Mercury. Right now Mercury has no point and is priced too close to Ford. FoMoCo should axe all Mercuries but the Milan and Mariner Hybrids. Voilà, the world's first all-hybrid brand! That would put Merury back on the map and move them upmarket in a way that wouldn't at all overlap with Lincoln. FoMoCo would instantly gain a pair of dedicated hybrids -- even better, a dedicated brand. They'd beat Toyota to the punch with their rumored Prius spin-off and "going green" would mesh well with the trendier image FoMoCo has tried to build for Mercury over the last few years.
  quote
addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2010-01-25, 13:58

Quote:
Originally Posted by Matsu View Post
They're talking about TFSI, TDI and Hybrid versions... for some reason VW likes to give North America the base 2.5, blech. I would only consider one of their cars with a TDI or much better gas/hybrid engine.
That article talks of rumors of a new base four cylinder so we'll have to wait and see. I guess using the five helps VW keep costs down but it's inefficient, heavy, and is on the rough side. It can't even compete with Japanese engines.
  quote
addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2010-01-26, 13:25

So it looks like the GM/Spyker deal for Saab is going to happen which should make some here very happy! To me it's just more life support but we'll see what happens.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/bu...al/27saab.html
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2010-01-26, 13:45



And not a moment too soon, as today I was practically hated off another car site I was posting at. The new 9-5 and 9-4x are Saab's most promising vehicles in decades, and I'm so glad we'll actually see them. And if that 9-1 is still on the table, I'm in for one in ärlig white.
  quote
Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-27, 14:09

So anyone else enjoying the meltdown happening at Toyota right now?
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2010-01-27, 14:11

Quote:
Originally Posted by Quagmire View Post
So anyone else enjoying the meltdown happening at Toyota right now?
You mean that they're totally acting like the new GM?
  quote
Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-27, 14:25

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman View Post
You mean that they're totally acting like the new GM?
You mean old GM.
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2010-01-27, 14:57

"the new GM," as in, they've taken GM's traditional position.

I love the real new GM. They spared my Saab
  quote
BuonRotto
Not sayin', just sayin'
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
Send a message via AIM to BuonRotto Send a message via Yahoo to BuonRotto  
2010-01-27, 16:26

I for one am not enjoying Toyota's troubles for one reason: consumer bias, specifically my wife's. At least right now, she will only let me consider a Honda or Toyota. Well, now she may only let me look at Honda. I am actually trying to convince her that Subaru and Ford have good quality too (now), but it's an uphill battle. All this Toyota crap has just limited my options for a car even more than they already were!
  quote
Dorian Gray
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Paris, France
 
2010-01-27, 16:50

Poor you. A Honda! The horror.
  quote
addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2010-01-27, 20:37

Quote:
Originally Posted by Quagmire View Post
So anyone else enjoying the meltdown happening at Toyota right now?
Something tells me that Toyota will handle it quickly and in a way that preserves customer loyalty. If it was GM they would probably ask the accountants what to do and they would say the potential loss of life isn't worth the money to fix it!! I'm kidding....sort of.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BuonRotto
I for one am not enjoying Toyota's troubles for one reason: consumer bias, specifically my wife's. At least right now, she will only let me consider a Honda or Toyota. Well, now she may only let me look at Honda. I am actually trying to convince her that Subaru and Ford have good quality too (now), but it's an uphill battle. All this Toyota crap has just limited my options for a car even more than they already were!
Subaru has good quality. Those flat fours are pretty bulletproof. The only downside is you take a slight hit on fuel economy. I'd take a Subie over a Ford at this point.
  quote
Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-27, 20:48

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWM View Post
Something tells me that Toyota will handle it quickly and in a way that preserves customer loyalty. If it was GM they would probably ask the accountants what to do and they would say the potential loss of life isn't worth the money to fix it!! I'm kidding....sort of.
Handle it quickly?

First was install zipties to prevent this. Then new gas pedal designs. And now a complete halt of sales and new gas pedal assemblies. This is haunting Toyota like the cruise control switch haunted Ford.


giggity
  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2010-01-27, 21:06

I currently live with my head in the ground, can someone post a link about Toyota's troubles? A synopsis would actually be better.
  quote
addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2010-01-28, 09:42

There is an issue with accelerator pedals possibly sticking on some models. This morning there was news that Ford may have the same issue.
  quote
Xaqtly
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-28, 14:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWM View Post
Something tells me that Toyota will handle it quickly and in a way that preserves customer loyalty. If it was GM they would probably ask the accountants what to do and they would say the potential loss of life isn't worth the money to fix it!! I'm kidding....sort of.

Subaru has good quality. Those flat fours are pretty bulletproof. The only downside is you take a slight hit on fuel economy. I'd take a Subie over a Ford at this point.
I've owned a number of Subarus (six to date) and the current ones are definitely solid cars. My Legacy is going on 67k miles now and is still bulletproof. Doesn't even squeak or rattle. Still on the original clutch too, despite being AWD. I would definitely recommend one. Get a turbo model though, the non-turbos are underpowered for the weight they have to pull.
  quote
PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Send a message via Skype™ to PB PM 
2010-01-28, 16:05

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWM View Post
There is an issue with accelerator pedals possibly sticking on some models. This morning there was news that Ford may have the same issue.
A few car experts I've heard on the radio believe it isn't just the actual peddles and that it could be a firmware problem, from the computer manufacture.
  quote
BuonRotto
Not sayin', just sayin'
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
Send a message via AIM to BuonRotto Send a message via Yahoo to BuonRotto  
2010-01-28, 16:45

Toyota has something like 8 models and almost 10 million (it seems) recalls due to uncontrolled acceleration issues. The floor pedals, mats, or computer problems may be the issue. It's a very large recall, and it's gotten a lot of attention because 1. people have died and 2. the list keeps expanding.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorian Gray View Post
Poor you. A Honda! The horror.
Have you seen the Crosstour?!

FWIW, I have a Civic now, nothing against Hondas except for

1. road and wind noise,
2. poor styling
3. bloated Accords and now Crosstours
4. poor brakes
5. Acuras being nothing special as luxury car features/performance go

Subies are nice, and I really like the Outback, though I prefer the styling from the '09 model.
  quote
Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-28, 16:55

Quote:
Originally Posted by BuonRotto View Post
Toyota has something like 8 models and almost 10 million (it seems) recalls due to uncontrolled acceleration issues. The floor pedals, mats, or computer problems may be the issue. It's a very large recall, and it's gotten a lot of attention because 1. people have died and 2. the list keeps expanding.



Have you seen the Crosstour?!

FWIW, I have a Civic now, nothing against Hondas except for

1. road and wind noise,
2. poor styling
3. bloated Accords and now Crosstours
4. poor brakes
5. Acuras being nothing special as luxury car features/performance go

Subies are nice, and I really like the Outback, though I prefer the styling from the '09 model.
Just to add on to your list

6. No power below 5000 RPM. My aunts Acura TL feels like an 185 HP 4 banger below 5000 RPM instead of the 280 HP( I think it is) V6. When you hit 5000 RPM, you can finally tell it is a 280 HP car.

giggity
  quote
DMBand0026
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Chicago
 
2010-01-28, 16:55

Who's won more awards and is constantly praised for building the best motors in the world? Not GM, that's for damn sure.
  quote
Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-01-28, 16:58

Quote:
Originally Posted by DMBand0026 View Post
Who's won more awards and is constantly praised for building the best motors in the world? Not GM, that's for damn sure.
Small Block V8, the HF 3.6 DOHC V6( both the regular and DI versions), and now the 2.4 DI 4 banger( won Ward's 2010 best engine of the year award).

giggity
  quote
Posting Rules Navigation
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Page 8 of 68 First Previous 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10 11 12  Next Last

Post Reply

Forum Jump
Thread Tools
Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
3G talk time BlueApple Apple Products 4 2009-04-14 15:23
Let's Talk Stimulus ezkcdude AppleOutsider 180 2009-02-16 15:54
Let's talk... hot sauces Wrao AppleOutsider 19 2006-12-03 10:53
OS 7.5.3 not able to talk to OS X.3.7 boris Genius Bar 4 2005-01-27 14:12


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:11.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2024, AppleNova